Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

NTL increasing monthly fee...just like this....

Options
  • 13-01-2009 1:27pm
    #1
    TripleAce
    Registered Users Posts: 1,454 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    I just got a letter from NTL that from 1-Jan-2009 they are going to charge 3 extra € /month for broadband + phone charges (in my case going from 50 to 53 €/month).

    Can they do this just like this? I signed a contract in October for 50€ / month....I didn't think they could just increase the cost as they please. Am I wrong?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    TripleAce wrote: »
    Hi,

    I just got a letter from NTL that from 1-Jan-2009 they are going to charge 3 extra € /month for broadband + phone charges (in my case going from 50 to 53 €/month).

    Can they do this just like this? I signed a contract in October for 50€ / month....I didn't think they could just increase the cost as they please. Am I wrong?

    The short answer to your query is 'Yes'. You will find that somewhere in your terms and conditions they reserve the right to increase etc etc subject to notifying you - the notice can be a notification on the web site (which is there at the moment) - the media - a flag on Pluto etc etc.


  • Options
    #3
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users Posts: 7,651 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    TripleAce wrote: »
    Hi,

    I just got a letter from NTL that from 1-Jan-2009 they are going to charge 3 extra € /month for broadband + phone charges (in my case going from 50 to 53 €/month).

    Can they do this just like this? I signed a contract in October for 50€ / month....I didn't think they could just increase the cost as they please. Am I wrong?

    Only thing you can do is to cancel, the price increase allows you to break the one year contract...


  • Options
    #4
    RandomPerson13
    Registered Users Posts: 41 ✭RandomPerson13


    The increase is due to VAT because of the latest budget


  • Options
    #5
    TripleAce
    Registered Users Posts: 1,454 ✭✭✭TripleAce


    Ok thanks :(

    No, I won't cancel as the broadband performance is outstanding and 3€/month doesn't make a lot of difference - just a bit annoyed about it though.

    Thanks again.


  • Options
    #6
    Cabaal
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional South East Moderators Posts: 28,494 Mod ✭✭✭✭Cabaal


    T&C's state
    6. Charges and Payment
    6.1 You must pay all the Charges for which we bill you, together with any Value Added
    Tax and any other taxes (at applicable rates from time to time) which apply in relation to
    any Charges payable under this Agreement. We will bill you one billing period in
    advance for the Services. You must pay your bill by the date specified in your bill. You
    will be liable for the Charges from the day on which we first make the Services available
    to you unless we notify you otherwise. You agree that you are liable for any Charges
    incurred on your account irrespective of whether those Charges were incurred by you or
    anybody else with or without your consent. Unless stated otherwise, all prices quoted by
    us and listed in our Price List are inclusive of VAT and all Charges that appear on your
    bill are inclusive of VAT. We may vary our Charges from time to time. We may alter your
    billing date or billing frequency. Our Code of Practice includes explanations on billing
    frequency, non-payment of bills, disconnection and resolution of disputes. Should you
    pay your bills via our electronic billing facilities additional terms and conditions apply.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    RandomPerson13 wrote: »
    The increase is due to VAT because of the latest budget

    It certainly covers more than the vat increase!


  • Options
    #8
    GerardKeating
    Registered Users Posts: 7,651 ✭✭✭GerardKeating


    RandomPerson13 wrote: »
    The increase is due to VAT because of the latest budget

    The prices have increased every January for the past few years, It's quite regular...


  • Options
    #9
    Sleipnir
    Registered Users Posts: 5,514 ✭✭✭Sleipnir


    so does Sky and nearly every other service around!

    The're still pretty good value for broadband .e. Eircom 7mb DSL is 60 euro or so a month and NTL's 20mb cable BB is 42!


  • Options
    #10
    cgarvey
    Registered Users Posts: 3,886 ✭✭✭cgarvey


    RandomPerson13 wrote: »
    The increase is due to VAT because of the latest budget

    6% is not the 0.5% VAT increase!


  • Options
    #11
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Sleipnir wrote: »
    so does Sky and nearly every other service around!

    The're still pretty good value for broadband .e. Eircom 7mb DSL is 60 euro or so a month and NTL's 20mb cable BB is 42!

    Actually the 20Mb will cost you a minimum of €48 if you are only getting the bb.

    The bundle figures for Eircom which are €60.11 and €65.16 come with various telephone benefits why may or may not be of interest to the potential customer.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Onikage
    Registered Users Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭Onikage


    Technically illegal. Still happens without any reprisal of course.

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/consumer-protection/consumer-rights/unfair_terms


  • Options
    #13
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Onikage wrote: »
    Technically illegal. Still happens without any reprisal of course.

    http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/consumer-affairs/consumer-protection/consumer-rights/unfair_terms

    How is it technically illegal?


  • Options
    #14
    Onikage
    Registered Users Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭Onikage


    dub45 wrote: »
    How is it technically illegal?

    You are not allowed to form a contract where one of the parties can change the terms of the contract.

    Consider this: UPC raise the price to 10000 euro a month. What happens? Some pay, some get sued under breach of contract? Not likely. Now tell me, in consideration of the contract, what is the difference between 2 euro and 20000? No difference.


  • Options
    #15
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Onikage wrote: »
    You are not allowed to form a contract where one of the parties can change the terms of the contract.

    Consider this: UPC raise the price to 10000 euro a month. What happens? Some pay, some get sued under breach of contract? Not likely. Now tell me, in consideration of the contract, what is the difference between 2 euro and 20000? No difference.

    Where does it say that you are not allowed to form a contract where one of the parties can change the terms of the contract?

    All utility suppliers put up their prices how are UPC any different in that respect?

    Their terms and conditions clearly state:
    We may vary our Charges from time to time. We may alter your
    billing date or billing frequency.

    Customers 'accept' those terms when they sign up. No one forces them to.

    (Incidentally I agree that these things are weight far far too heavily in favour of the supplier but you cannot just state that something is technically illegal without backing such a statement up)

    I would also be concerned bout this type of thing:
    We may, subject to the relevant legal and regulatory provisions, whilst you are a
    customer and for as long as necessary for the specified purposes after you terminate
    purchasing Services, use your personal information     together with other information for
    the purposes of administration, credit scoring, customer services, training, marketing,
    tracking use of our services (including processing call, usage, billing, viewing and
    interactive data), profiling your usage and purchasing preferences and providing you
    with services,. We may disclose your personal information to UPC or any Group
    Company and our sub-contractors and agents for these purposes.


  • Options
    #16
    Onikage
    Registered Users Posts: 1,451 ✭✭✭Onikage


    dub45 wrote: »
    Where does it say that you are not allowed to form a contract where one of the parties can change the terms of the contract?

    It is the first bullet point under: What is meant by an unfair term?
    • Terms that give the supplier of goods or services the right to change the terms of the contract.
    Note that this does not invalidate the entre contract, just the offending term.
    dub45 wrote: »
    All utility suppliers put up their prices how are UPC any different in that respect?

    Utility has a certain meaning here, cable to TV is regulated differently to mortgages, gas, electricity etc. which are covered by different legislation.
    dub45 wrote: »
    Their terms and conditions clearly state:

    They can claim your first-born too but it is not legally binding.
    dub45 wrote: »
    (Incidentally I agree that these things are weight far far too heavily in favour of the supplier but you cannot just state that something is technically illegal without backing such a statement up)

    I calls em like I sees em. I am also open to correction.


  • Options
    #17
    dub45
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 12,448 Mod ✭✭✭✭dub45


    Onikage wrote: »
    It is the first bullet point under: What is meant by an unfair term?
    • Terms that give the supplier of goods or services the right to change the terms of the contract.

    Yes but it is a term in this case that they can change their price! So they are not changing the term they are changing the price.

    Onikage wrote: »
    Utility has a certain meaning here, cable to TV is regulated differently to mortgages, gas, electricity etc. which are covered by different legislation.



    They can claim your first-born too but it is not legally binding.



    I calls em like I sees em. I am also open to correction.

    And you are not a judge! So you cannot proclaim something as illegal:D


  • Options
    #18
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    Onikage wrote: »
    • Terms that give the supplier of goods or services the right to change the terms of the contract.

    Where it's true that terms must be fair, I wouldn't be altogether sure that that's not a typo on the Citizens Information website, and it should perhaps say "term of the contract" and not "terms of the contract". This would mean that they cannot alter the length of time that the contract runs, which would be unfair.

    A term, that would give the supplier the right to alter the terms of the contract, without the recipients knowledge or acceptance, would also be unfair and illegal.

    All terms & conditions that I've ever seen, have specifically stated that the contract terms can be altered, by the supplier, at any time, but that they must be notified and accepted by the other party. Usually a notification period is stated too. If you don't accept the change, then the contract ends, without prejudice.

    I would say it's perfectly acceptable to increase the price of a service, for what ever reason, as long as it's notified to customers, and they accept the change.


Advertisement